Executive Secretary of the National Interest Movement(NIM), Susan Adu-Amankwah, has emphasised that mission schools in Ghana were originally established to promote and preserve specific religious values, and partnerships with the state should not be misconstrued as a takeover of their founding principles.
Speaking on Newsfile on November 29, 2025, she explained that the historical purpose of mission schools must be clearly understood in the current national debate on religious freedom and school rules.
“Mission schools were set up to help propagate and extend the faith,” she said, recalling her own experience at Christ the King School, where Catholic students were encouraged to choose Catholic institutions during placement so they could continue to grow in their faith.
According to her, when the state began partnering with mission schools due to their strong track record in nurturing disciplined and academically competent students, it was never meant to erode the schools’ identity or internal governance.
“At no point was the partnership a takeover. People must recognize that,” she stressed.
Drawing from her time at Holy Child School, Ms. Adu-Amankwah noted that non-Catholic students were free to pray, including Muslim students who prayed by their bedsides without interference, provided such practices did not conflict with the school’s structured timetable and disciplinary expectations.
She emphasized that school rules exist to maintain order, and these rules apply to everyone regardless of religious background. Using an example, she explained that even Catholic students could not remain in the chapel during prep time because discipline requires students to be where they are supposed to be.
“There was no discrimination. It was simply discipline,” she said.
Ms. Adu-Amankwah added that although Catholics fast, adolescents in her school were generally discouraged from doing so due to the rigorous school schedule. However, students who still wished to fast were not punished.
“There were always avenues to practice your faith,” she noted. “Following school rules does not mean your religious rights are taken away; it simply means practising your faith at the appropriate time.”
She urged the public to approach the ongoing discussions with an understanding of the purpose, history, and structure of mission schools and the balance they must maintain between faith, discipline, and academic excellence.
